Entrepreneurial leadership and employee innovative behavior in the software development firms: do employees' epistemic curiosity and creative process engagement matter?
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EBHRM-02-2021-0020 |
| Published date | 31 December 2021 |
| Date | 31 December 2021 |
| Pages | 206-220 |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Global HRM |
| Author | Muhammad Awais Khan |
Entrepreneurial leadership
and employee innovative behavior
in the software development
firms: do employees’epistemic
curiosity and creative
process engagement matter?
Muhammad Awais Khan
Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
Abstract
Purpose –Building on self-determination theory, this study empirically examined the influence of
entrepreneurial leadership (EL) style on employee innovative behavior (EIB) in the context of software
development firms located in the twin cities of Pakistan (Rawalpindi and Islamabad).
Design/methodology/approach –For the present study, an employee survey (online questionnaire) was
used for data collection. The data were collected through an adopted questionnaire by using emails and
messaging applications. StructuralEquation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze data collected from 245
respondents.
Findings –The findings of this study delineate that entrepreneurial leadership positively and significantly
influences employee innovative behavior. Moreover, the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and
employeeinnovative behaviorwas partially mediatedby employee epistemic curiosity(EC) and creative process
engagement (CPE). The sequential mediation by the employee epistemic curiosity and creative process
engagementbetweenthe link of entrepreneurialleadershipand employeeinnovativebehavior wasalso confirmed.
Practical implicati ons –In innovation-int ensive organizations like software developm ent firms,
entrepreneurial leadership style can foster employee innovative behavior that is critical for organizational
innovation success. This study provides information to the strategic leaders on how leadership behaviors can
drive employee innovative behavior, particularly in the context of software development companies.
Originality/value –Thisstudy is an attempt to extend the scarce literature on the mechanisms throughwhich
leadership stylesimpact employee innovative behavior. Specifically, the mediating rolesof employee epistemic
curiosity and creative processengagement have been explored through a self-determination perspective.
Keywords Entrepreneurial leadership, Employee innovative behavior, Creative process engagement,
Epistemic curiosity, Self-determination theory, Software development firms
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
To thrive and succeed in increasingly complex and demanding environments, research has
empirically highlighted the need for organizations to innovate continuously and consistently
(Escrig et al., 2020;Machado and Davim, 2020). The complex and turbulent nature of the
current business environment makes innovation a prime source of growth, competitive
advantage and success (Bagheri et al., 2020a;Khaola and Coldwell, 2019;Lee et al., 2020).
However, in developing economies (e.g. Pakistan), not all businesses are sufficiently capable
to function innovatively (Bradley et al., 2012). Out of all predictors of innovation, scholars
have consistently appreciated the critical role of leadership to stimulate and promote
employee driven innovation (Echebiri and Amundsen, 2020;Chen and Hou, 2016). Leaders
shape work environments by influencing employee behaviors through employee motivation
EBHRM
10,2
206
Funding: The author received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this
article.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/2049-3983.htm
Received 1 February 2021
Revised 26 July 2021
24 October 2021
9 December 2021
Accepted 10 December 2021
Evidence-based HRM: a Global
Forum for Empirical Scholarship
Vol. 10 No. 2, 2022
pp. 206-220
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2049-3983
DOI10.1108/EBHRM-02-2021-0020
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